Nelumbo plant named ‘Fu Fen’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Nelumbo  plant named ‘Fu Fen’, characterized by its upright plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; large medium green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; and large light red purple-colored bowl-shaped flowers that are positioned above the foliar plane on moderately strong and erect peduncles.

Botanical designation: Nelumbo nucifera.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FU FEN’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Nelumbo plant, botanically known as Nelumbo nucifera, commonly referred to as Sacred or Indian Lotus, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fu Fen’.

The new Nelumbo plant is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Nelumbo plants that have attractive and unique flower forms and flower colors.

The new Nelumbo plant originated from a cross-pollination in July, 2013 of Nelumbo nucifera ‘Da Sajin’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Nelumbo nucifera ‘Dong Honghua’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Nelumbo plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China in July, 2015.

Asexual reproduction of the new Nelumbo plant by rhizome divisions in a controlled environment in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China since April, 2017 has shown that the unique features of this new Nelumbo plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Nelumbo have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Fu Fen’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Fu Fen’ as a new and distinct Nelumbo plant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Large medium green-colored leaves.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Large light red purple-colored bowl-shaped flowers that are         positioned above the foliar plane on moderately strong and erect         peduncles.

Plants of the new Nelumbo differ from plants of the female parent, ‘Da Sajin’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Flowers of plants of the new Nelumbo have more petals than         flowers of plants of ‘Da Sajin’.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Nelumbo have light red         purple-colored petals and petaloids whereas petals and petaloids         of flowers of plants of ‘Da Sajin’ are white and red bi-colored.

Plants of the new Nelumbo differ from plants of the male parent, ‘Dong Honghua’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Flowers of plants of the new Nelumbo are double-type         bowl-shaped whereas flowers of plants of ‘Dong Honghua’ are         single-type cup-shaped.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Nelumbo are darker red purple in         color than flowers of plants of ‘Dong Honghua’.

Plants of the new Nelumbo can be compared to plants of Nelumbo nucifera ‘Fen Mudan’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons plants of the new Nelumbo differ primarily from plants of ‘Fen Mudan’ in the flower color as plants of the new Nelumbo have light red purple-colored flowers whereas plants of ‘Fen Mudan’ have light yellow orange-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Nelumbo plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Nelumbo plant. The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Fu Fen’ grown in a container. The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Fu Fen’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the summer in 50-cm by 35-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China and under cultural practices typical of commercial Nelumbo production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 14° C. to 33° C. and night temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 28° C. Plants were one year old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical Classification: Nelumbo nucifera ‘Fu Fen’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Nelumbo nucifera ‘Da Sajin’, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Nelumbo nucifera ‘Dong Honghua’,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By rhizome divisions.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About four days at             temperatures about 27° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About six days at             temperatures about 27° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fleshy; typically white to grey             brown in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Not freely branching, medium density. -   Plant Description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright plant habit; moderately             vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height (soil level to top of foliar plane).—About 80             cm.         -   Plant height (soil level to top of floral plane).—About 85             cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 140 cm by 110 cm. -   Rhizome Description:     -   -   Arrangement and habit.—Sympodial branching habit with about             10 to 15 primary branches developing per plant each with             about five to eight secondary branches.         -   Length.—About 110 cm to 160 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 1.3 cm to 6.2 cm.         -   Internode length.—About 8 cm to 34 cm.         -   Texture and luster.—Smooth, glabrous; glossy.         -   Color.—White, close to NN155A. -   Leaf Description:     -   -   Length, fully expanded.—About 27 cm to 33 cm.         -   Width, fully expanded.—About 22 cm to 30 cm.         -   Shape.—Peltate, elliptical.         -   Apex.—Retuse.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire; undulate.         -   Venation.—Palmate.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent,             papery; moderately glossy.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147C. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A; venation,             close to 139C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 148D; venation, close to 139D.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 70 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm to 8 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; moderately glossy. Color:             Close to 138B. -   Inflorescence Description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Double-type bowl-shaped flowers developing             directly from the rhizomes with numerous showy petals and             petaloids; about 13 flower buds and flowers developing per             plant at one time.         -   Time to flower.—In China, plants flower from June to August;             flowering continuous during this period; flowers begin             opening at 05:00 hours in the morning, flowers are fully             opened at about 06:30 hours and are typically closed by             09:00 hours.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about five days on the plant;             flowers last about three days as a cut flower; flowers             persistent; plants maintain good substance for about 40             days.         -   Fragrance.—Initially, very faint and then not detectable.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 8 cm. Diameter: About 5 cm.             Shape: Ovate. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte.             Color: Close to 67A.         -   Flowers.—Shape and arrangement: Double-type, bowl-shaped             with numerous showy petals and petaloids. Diameter: About             21 cm. Height: About 10 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: About 118 arranged in             numerous whorls. Length: About 9.8 cm. Width: About 6.7 cm.             Shape: Obovate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Cuneate. Margins:             Entire; not undulate. Texture and luster, upper surface:             Slightly rugose, glabrous; slightly glossy. Texture and             luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy.             Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface:             Distally, close to 73A; mid-section and towards the base,             close to 75C; at the base, close to 2D; venation, similar to             lamina colors, close to 73A, 75C and 2D; color becoming             closer to 75D with development. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Distally, close to 73A; mid-section             and towards the base, close to 75C; at the base, close to             2D; venation, close to 75C; color becoming closer to 75D             with development.         -   Petaloids.—Quantity and arrangement: About 99 arranged in             numerous whorls. Length: About 5.1 cm. Width: About 1.1 cm.             Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Cuneate.             Margins: Entire; not undulate. Texture and luster, upper             surface: Slightly rugose, glabrous; slightly glossy. Texture             and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly             glossy. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface:             Distally, close to 73A; mid-section and towards the base,             close to 75C; at the base, close to 2D; venation, similar to             lamina colors, close to 73A, 75C and 2D; color becoming             closer to 75D with development. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Distally, close to 73A; mid-section             and towards the base, close to 75C; at the base, close to             2D; venation, close to 75C; color becoming closer to 75D             with development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: About four in a single             whorl. Length: About 6.8 cm. Width: About 5.8 cm. Shape:             Obovate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Cuneate. Texture and luster,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; moderately             glossy. Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close             to 76C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 76B. Fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 76C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 115 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 cm to             2.3 cm. Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: Mostly erect.             Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy.             Color: Close to 145A.         -   Stamens.—Quantity per flower: About 95. Filament length:             About 2.2 cm. Filament color: Close to 4C. Anther length:             About 1.3 cm. Anther width: About 1 mm. Anther shape:             Lanceolate. Anther color: Close to 6C. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 6C.         -   Pistils.—Quantity per flower: About 14. Pistil length: About             3.9 cm. Style length: About 2.4 cm. Style color: Close to             5A. Stigma diameter: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded.             Stigma color: Close to 6A. Ovary color: Close to 5A.         -   Fruits.—Quantity per plant: About 19. Length: About 4.7 cm.             Diameter: About 12 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             Close to 138A.         -   Seeds.—Quantity per fruit: About six to eleven. Length:             About 2.9 cm. Diameter: About 1.7 cm. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to N200B. -   Pathogen & Pest Resistance: To date, plants of the new Nelumbo have     not been observed to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to     Nelumbo plants. -   Temperature Tolerance: Plants of the new Nelumbo have been observed     to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about −5° C. to about     40° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Nelumbo plant named ‘Fu Fen’ as illustrated and described. 